Back On Her Feet and Rolling! | F-4 Phantom

[@QMore-fp7wn]

She looks happy to be outside.

[@DieselThunderAviation]

We're also happy she is outside for a change! Glad she can be part of the Memorial Day event that Lone Star is hosting!

[@fsj197811]

I'm sure the ol' girl appreciates getting some time in the sun and letting her admirers take a peek. Thanks for sharing.

[@charlies40556]

Man she is a good looking fighter.

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Sure is!

[@stollen2827]

I just love the Phantop! I live near F7 wing air base in sweden where we have old, Viggen,Draken,Tunnan,Lansen and more still flying

[@eggplant574]

Great meeting and talking to you today sir. Looking forward to seeing her fly in the future.

[@DieselThunderAviation]

A pleasure meeting you as well! Looking forward to her return to the skies as well!

[@cassidy7255]

Amazing! I've been following your channel but didn't realize that the F-4 and the A-4 are the same ones that used to be at MEI, I don't know if they were previously there for a long haul or not but I saw them there a few times and parked my 172 directly next to them on several occasions. I'm so glad to see they're still receiving love! Thank you for all you do for these incredible machines!

[@Buster01Actual]

That Hun is in the markings of my dad's squadron at Tuy Hoa (309th TFS)!

[@fourfortyroadrunner6701]

USN, 68-74, ETR-2, NAS Miramar, 70-74, I maintained GCA RADAR and TACAN. Got to see HUNDREDS of f-8's, F-4's, A-7's, A-4's, and a few others. S2 "Stufs" would come over from N. Island, and some A-6's here and there. A U2 came through there, as well as I think 2 Blackbirds. Great place to be back then

[@billtodd6509]

I worked across 395 from Miramar from 1968 to 1972(lived at University City(Governor Drive) and during lunch, we would sit and watch aircraft take off and land and think about the good old times working on the flight line at Cherry Point, and Kaneohe, and of course ChuLai, RVN, Semper Fi

[@rssii]

How freakin' cool is that! Only time I can remember ever wishing I lived in Houston... :). Love your channel, and the Phantom! Have a great event tomorrow, wish I could be there!

[@KillerKev1961]

Nice to see her outta bed and breathing some fresh air. Its been a loooong time. Have a fantastic weekend and be safe.

[@pickandstrum]

F4 is beautiful

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Sure is!

[@trespire]

Quite the line up ! All looking good. Hope you all have a great memorial weekend in the States. And remember those that never made it back.

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Thanks! Definitely a holiday to reflect and remember those who fell and didn't come back. Check you email when you get a chance please. :)

[@pickandstrum]

It would cost a bloody fortune but taking the phantom to Oshkosh would be way cool.

[@fullsac]

crossing my fingers it happens this year. It's my favorite aircraft of all time and she's my only chance !!

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Don't think we'll make Oshkosh this year. We have to get her back in the air first. Not sure what the plan is for after her return to flight, if she'll start touring for airshows again or not.

[@fullsac]

@@DieselThunderAviation makes sense. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed for the f100 anyways 🤞🏼🤞🏼

[@kevinmurphy3464]

Man, the A4 and the F4 are just sexy as hell! Loving the A1 Skyraider in the background…

[@cjwyhs9601]

I love that this bird is back at Ellington, where she belongs. Originally 65-0749, she was with the Texas ANG at Ellington from 1986 to 1990. Such a beautiful airplane!

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Somewhere under the Southeast Asia paintjob is her Texas 147th colors!

[@cjwyhs9601]

@DieselThunderAviation My dad left the Air Force in 1978 and moved us to SE Houston, just off of Scarsdale. He took a job at Ellington as a civilian radar tech. I loved watching the old F-101's and later the F-4's taking off with those big, loud, smokey engines.

[@ryansta]

Hope it all goes great for you there!

[@davidrosen5137]

Hot damn! So good to see her on her feet!

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Sure is nice to see her on her own gear! Though I am going to miss being able to easily walk underneath!

[@ATXevolutionz]

Hey bud it was cool seeing the old girl and meeting you by chance today at the museum. She's a beautiful bird

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Nice to meet you as well!

[@jorgemachado7784]

Nice collection of aircraft but, yep, the Phantom is a doll 😁.

[@elijahvangilder7670]

Beautiful!

[@simoncampbell-smith6745]

Now I have to find the money to fly to Houston from the UK to see this museum! Till then I have subscribed to this channel

[@Airpaycheck]

Excellent!

[@silverwings1843]

I knew an AF O6 that had a pet F4 in Tulsa. Sadly it wound up going on hard display at some NG Unit. The cost to keep it alive is astronomical !!!

[@Sojourning_]

I missing seeing the F4, my self being a Nam vet, 67-69......... Like everything about Nam, lots of smoke, black smoke, always something was burning. I watch a Couple F4's making a pass, Black smoke pour out of the tail. You could see them going away for miles.... I seen a couple of them in a plie on the ground, One for the longest time was just out side of Saigon, Don't recall the road way out, of course the river was on one side of the road, black like the inside of a coal burning stove. one other thing, of all places, those glass lighter fluid refills, there was a mountain plie of them in the same general area. The Lord Bless you and yours

[@wurzzzz]

I didn't realize you were at Lone Star, Diesel. I need to stop by some time I live down the road.

[@AnthonyAdrianAcker]

Very cool! They look great!

[@billtodd6509]

What's the BULO No. on the F4? Thanks, Bill VMA225, 1965, ChuLai

[@Retnavycpo]

Yes, but when will it taxi and fly again???

[@dotbmp]

Who knew the digital version was the reason we couldn't get the real one out of the hanger! :)

[@ralphreid7972]

Wish I could be there.

[@stevea9604]

Under blue beautiful sky’s is where she belongs 👍🏻🤩🌞😎

[@DieselThunderAviation]

It's nice to get her out of the hangar for sure!

[@_lambert-spotter]

Yay

[@EMH1917]

Hace a nice day There, sure!

[@charlesc7723]

Nice!

[@danielcoburn8635]

No longer a "Hanger Queen"! Were the emergency brakes charged up for the tow?

[@RebelNine]

After all your hard work you must be due a sortie in the back seat?

[@DieselThunderAviation]

That would be awesome! I don't expect one, sure would be cool!

[@kyleb3754]

1000X Cool

[@simtaylor61]

You know what? That Phantom nose section you have behind you in your intro would look REALLY good in my garage......just sayin

[@utley]

I thought that red mig was destroyed in a fire not long ago...or was that another red mig? Really wish I could find a job working on those kinds of aircraft, honestly Im sick of building them or working on jumbos.

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Not sure what the story is on the Mig, I can ask.

[@utley]

@@DieselThunderAviation It was a red 2 seater (IIRC) J-5 that was dressed up as a mig. I cant remember what or when it happened, but it used to be a regular at air shows around the world.

[@RedTail1-1]

Whose TA-4 is that? I've never seen one around other than Jerod's

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Jerod's A-4 is inside the Lone Star hangar as of filming this one, and I think may be on the ramp for the day. The one we towed, painted in U.S. Marines H&MS-11 Playboys colors, that is also a Collings Foundation jet.

[@enricomandragona163]

Why is the main gear locked up so high!!??

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Good question! Where the locks are placed is on the hydraulic ram that extends and retracts the gear. The strut itself is just a big two chamber oleo strut. Putting locks on the strut would not do anything to prevent its movement if the gear handle is moved.

[@julianstorey2699]

Is that Phantom ever going to fly?

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Yes, that is our goal! She last flew in 2019 and we're working to complete the annual inspection so she can fly again!

[@leftseat30]

Outstanding! How do you guys fund/fund raise? Ive seen other KZbin videos discussing the high cost of the F4 by sheer fuel cost alone compared to other 2nd or 3rd Gen fighters still flying. ​@DieselThunderAviation

[@DieselThunderAviation]

We’re entirely donation driven. And yes, she can be quite thirsty, over 6,000 lbs per hour for cross country with minimal afterburner use.

[@brianwaskow5910]

Where are your wing walkers?

[@DieselThunderAviation]

For the tight areas, on each side of the aircraft. When on the taxiways we were on the tug ready to jump off as needed to walk the wings and/or chock the wheels.

[@07gmccrewcab]

Why no one in the cockpit for the tow?

[@georgedreisch2662]

Especially for as minimal as that tug is…

[@frankleespeaking9519]

Probably no brakes. So if the tow bar broke there’s not much to do. I’m just guessing though

[@LesWorthington-os4yp]

What no F-111. They were in Nam also.

[@DieselThunderAviation]

We’re fresh out, sorry! In all seriousness, I don’t know of any flyable Aardvarks in the U.S.

[@LesWorthington-os4yp]

We flew our last flight in 2010. Then sent some to covered outdoor displays around the country and into aero museums. A much loved a/c with their “Dump & Burn” displays. I worked on them in the 70-80s as an Avioniics technician.

[@thestrum71]

Living in Belgium is my only worthy excuse not to visit you guys.... damn...

[@berubejj]

We made F-4's remotely piloted and shot them down during the development of the AIM-9X.

[@rysestormer9184]

Phantom video on Phantom phriday

[@rysestormer9184]

And yes I am night shift so it is still Friday when I sent this

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Phantom Phriday indeed!

[@Airpaycheck]

I’m pheelin the Phantom Phriday vibe 👍

[@bobbysnow5478]

Hard to believe Japan just retired their F4s

[@DieselThunderAviation]

Think they retired theirs last year. South Korea is next in early June of this year. That leaves Greece, Turkey, and Iran as the remaining operators of the Phantom.

[@bobbysnow5478]

Great knowledge! I had no idea..that is like these countries are out hunting with my 63 Bonanza!!!

[@SportDCS]

Gib A-4

[@recon9640]

nobody riding brakes ha....???